Recipe: Chocolate cheesecake candy cane cups

This delicious and decadent gluten-free dessert was adapted from a Food Network Kitchen recipe, made and brought to the Chocolate Potluck on Saturday by Laura Seyfried.

Ingredients
Crust:
20 gluten-free chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely ground coffee beans
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Filling:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Glaze:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup crushed candy canes

Directions:
For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a mini-muffin tin with wrappers.

Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor with the butter, sugar, coffee and salt until fine. Evenly press the crust into wrappers, coating the wrappers completely. Bake until the crust sets.

For the filling: Meanwhile, heat the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl at 75% power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to heat until completely melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth).

Blend the cream cheese, sugar and sour cream together in the food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed. Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. With the food processor running, pour the chocolate into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Bake until the filling puffs slightly around the edges but is still a bit wobbly in the center, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.

For the glaze: Put the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 75% power until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the ingredients together until smooth; add the sour cream. Spread the glaze evenly over the warm cake and scatter the crushed candy canes over top. Cool completely, and then refrigerate overnight.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

For the original recipe, go to www.foodnetwork.com/recipes and search “Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars” or click here.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.